A Portuguese Version of the Sensory Processing Measure for Preschool: Analysis of the Internal Consistency and Homogeneity of the Items of School Form

ABSTRACT: Over the past several years, a wide range of estimates of the prevalence of sensory processing disorders has emerged in the literature. The assessment of these difficulties should be part of the competence of professionals working with children with these kinds of needs through validated instruments. This study examined the internal consistency and items homogeneity of a Portuguese language version of the Sensory Processing Measure-Preschool (SPM-P). One hundred typically developing children aged between 2 and 5 years were recruited at Nursery Schools and assessed using the SPM-P to determine its reliability and validity. Pearson correlation (item homogeneity) and Cronbach’s alpha (internal consistency) determined the exclusion of 4 items. Cronbach’s alpha values for the different dimensions (“Social Participation”, “Vision”, “Hearing”, “Touch”, “Body Awareness”, “Balance and Motion”, “Planning and Ideas”) ranged from 0.742 (“Vision” and “Touch”) and 0.908 (“Body Awareness”). The findings of this study showed that the SPM-P is a valid and reliable tool in screening for sensory processing difficulties in Portuguese preschool children aged between 2 and 5 years in a nursery school setting.